A Dutch court has convicted two youths of theft for stealing virtual items in a computer game and sentenced them to community service.

Only a handful of such cases have been heard in the world, and they have reached varying conclusions about the legal status of "virtual goods."

The Leeuwarden District Court says the culprits, 15 and 14 years old, coerced a 13-year-old boy into transferring a "virtual amulet and a virtual mask" from the online adventure game RuneScape to their game accounts.

"These virtual goods are goods (under Dutch law), so this is theft," the court said Tuesday in a summary of its ruling.

Comments

A Dutch court has convicted two youths of theft for stealing virtual items in a computer game and sentenced them to community service.\n\nOnly a handful of such cases have been heard in the world, and they have reached varying conclusions about the legal status of \"virtual goods.\"\n\nThe Leeuwarden District Court says the culprits, 15 and 14 years old, coerced a 13-year-old boy into transferring a \"virtual amulet and a virtual mask\" from the online adventure game RuneScape to their game accounts.\n\n\"These virtual goods are goods (under Dutch law), so this is theft,\" the court said Tuesday in a summary of its ruling.